Automatic circuit breaker assembly



July 30, 1940i, J. SACHS 2,209,353

AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY Original Filed April l5, 1938 @y fl. am

Patented July 30, 1940 AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY Joseph Sachs, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to Colts Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 15, 1938, Serial No. 202,296 Renewed October 26, 1939 4 Claims.

The invention relates particularly to an as sembly of two or more circuit breaking mechanisms adapted to be respectively connected in diiierent portions of a circuit, that is, in different legs or branches thereof. With such an assembly it is sometimes highly desirable to provide for the circuit opening or closing operation of all of the mechanisms by a number of manual movements substantially less than the total number of mechanisms.

With circuit breaking mechanisms of certain types it is essential that each mechanism be free to operate automatically entirely independently of any other mechanism; and it is the general object of the present invention to provide an assembly of circuit breaking mechanisms of such a type wherein without interfering with the independent automatic operation of the respec tive mechanisms all of them can be conveniently operated manually to open or close the circuit by a reduced numberof manual movements. This object is attained by combining in one subassembly twosimilar circuit breaking mechanisms which are connectible in two different legs or branches of a circuit and which are positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relationship with their handles movable in parallel paths, each mechanism being of the type wherein the handle automatically moves to open-circuit position verse projections on the two adjacent handles enable the user to easily operate both of them in unison so that for purposes of manual operation the two mechanisms constitute a single sub-assembly normallyoperable as such. The handles, however, are not mechanically connected and each is free to move to open-circuit position when the corresponding mechanism operates automatically.

By way of example, it will be apparent that in an assembly comprising eight mechanisms, the number of sub-assemblies may be reduced to four; or by utilizing the invention for only two jpairs of mechanisms the number of subassemblies may be reduced to six. While the invention is well adapted forxuse in assemblies or panels having a large number of mechanisms, as y for instance eight or more, it is equally useful for an assembly comprising only two mechanisms, and such an' assembly is shown in the accompanying drawing. it will be understoodk that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only l and is not to be construed as defining or limitingv 55 the scope of the invention, the claims forming a when th'e circuit is automatically broken. Trans-- part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a circuit breaker assembly embodying the invention. 5

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along,

, the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in their open-circuit position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line dof Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, but showing the right handle in closedcircuit position and the left handle in open-circuit position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, but showing the left handle in closedcircuit position and the right handle in opencircuit position.

As concerns the details of the mechanisms there may be wide variation and I do not limit ymyself as to such details. One suitable mechanism is shown in the drawing, this embodying the invention set forth in the co-pending application of Joseph Sachs and Paul M. Christensen for Automatic circuit breakers, Serial No. 202,295 led on even date herewith. One mechanism will be described, it being understood that the other is or may be similar in construction.

A stationary main contact l is provided and valso a stationary conductor 2 which is separated from the contact. The contact l and the conductor 2 are both mounted upon a suitable base or housing. Directly connected electrically with the stationary conductor 2 is a iiexible conductor 3. For making and breaking the circuit between the contact l and the conductors 2 and 3 there is provided a contact member which is pivotally movable about a fixed axis. The said contact member comprises a conducting element 4 which carries a movable Contact 5 adapted to engage and disengage the stationary Contact l.

The conducting element l is formed of sheet metal bent so as to have a U-shape in transverse section. The legs la of the U extend forward and these legs are connected at the rear by a yoke which has an aperture 9 therein, thus providing two separated transverse yoke portions #lb and fic. The before mentioned movable contact Si is carried by the transverse yoke portion tb at the center thereof.

.For supporting the contact member and associated parts there is provided an inner frame which includes two opposite similar insulating 55 'engages the conducting element 4 and/also engages the insulating transverse member 8, this spring thus serving to bias the contact member in the contact disengaging or circuit opening direction.

1 A handle or operating member I3 is pivotally supported on the said inner frame, the transverse member I being utilized as the pivotal support. The operating member I3 is biased in the clockwise direction by a spring I5. 5

In order that the operating member I3 may operate the contact member, there is provideda 'two legs 4a of the conducting element 4.

connecting mechanism which is controlled by means of a bi-metallic latch I5 bodily movable with 'the contact member Vand cooperating directly with an actuator I6 which is mechanically connected with the operating member. The actuator I Ii is pivotally mounted at I1 between the The actuator I6 has a portion which extends rearward and projects through the aperture Iil in the conducting element d.

A link I 8 is pivotally connected with the operating member I3 at I9 and with the actuator I 6 at 20. With the parts in thenormal closed-circuit position as shown in Fig. 2, the pivotal axis at I9 is above or in front of a straight line connecting the pivotal axes at I0 and 20, the operating member itself thus cooperating with the link I8 to form a normally locked or overset 4 toggle. The before-mentioned transverse member I I engages a suitable shoulder on the operating member to limit movement thereof in the counter-clockwise direction. v

'I'he before-mentioned bi-metallic latch I5 normally engages the actuator I6 and holds it in its normal relationship with the other parts as shown in Fig. 2. The latch is rigidly secured by brazing or otherwise to an integral downward extension 4d on the yoke portion 4c of the conducting element 4. 'I'he latch is thus connected near the pivot end of the conducting element, and it extends substantially parallelly therewith to its point of engagement. with the actuator I6. The before-mentioned flexible conductor 3 is electrically connected directly with the bi-metallic latch I5 near the upper latching end thereof. This connection may be effected by brazing.

'I'he stationary contact I is rigidly supported and the before-mentioned link I8 is U-shaped and resilient so as to be adapted to yield as the l toggle approaches its overset relationship, and the link thereupon serves t0 apply to the contact member the force necessary to provide the required pressure between the contacts. The force exerted by the link also normally serves to hold the toggle in overset relationship.

With'the circuit breaker in closed-circuit position as shown in Fig. 2 it will be apparent that electrical connection is established -from the stationary contact I to the movable contact 5, thence through the conducting element 4 and the bi-metallic latch I5, and thence through the llexible conductor 3 to the stationary conductor 2. As already stated, the contact member is biased in the circuit-opening direction by means of the spring I2, and the operating member is biased in the clockwise or circuit-opening directi'on by means of the spring Ill. However, actual movement in the circuit-opening direction is normally prevented by reason of the described overset toggle relationship between the operating member itself and the link I8, it being understood that the latch I5v normally holds the actuator IE from relative movement in theclockwise direction. Normally the operating nember I3 may be moved to move the contact member and thus open or `close the circuit. During 1 such normal movements the latch I5 remains engaged with the actuator I6.

If the handle or operating member be held in Its closed-circuit position as shown in Fig. 2 and if an abnormal current condition such as an overload is attained, the bi-metallic latch I5 is automatically deected rearward so as to disengage' and release the actuator I6. This deection ordinarily occurs chiey by reas'on of the heating of the bimetallic element. When the actuator is no longer held by the latch I5, the

entire contact memberis movedl by the spring I2 to itsopen-circuit position this movement occurring even though the handle be held in` closed-circuit position. Ordinarily however the handle is not held and the spring I4 moves the A move practically instantaneously to the position shown in Fig. 3, the actuator being immediately restored to engaging relationship with the latch. As soon as the latch has cooled suflciently the operating member can be moved to again close the circuit.y l

` In order to adjust the bi-metallic latch I5 for purposesof calibration it may be desirable to provide an adjusting screw 2| extending through a threaded hole in the latch and in the yoke extension 4d. This screw abuts against a plate 22 extending transversely between the legs 4a of the conducting element: It will be apparent thatby adjusting the screw 2| the extension 4d may be deflected and the latch I5 may lbe moved within certain narrow limits so as to change its.rela

tionship with the actuator and so as to be' adapted to release the actuator upon the attainmentof`a definite predetermined overload con'- dition.

A main base or housing is provided which supports the circuit breaker mechanism and all oi? the conducting parts. AWhen therey are two or more mechanisms there may be a corresponding number of separate housings, although this is not essential. As shown there are two separate housings.23 and If23 for the respective mechanisms, each housing being an integralstructure comprising a. rear wall 23B and two forward projecting side walls 23h, 23b which are spaced apart and which are'identical in construction. A front 'cover 24 is provided which may be of metal, and there is also, provided an insulating sheet 25 at the rear of the cover 24. The cover 24 and the sheet 25 will be referred to collectively as constituting the front cover plate, and this cover plate is shown as being of such size as to cover the fronts of both of the housings 23 and |23. The front cover plate is held in place by screws 26, 26 and it has an opening through which projects the operating member or handle I3 for the mechanism at the right and also the operating member or handle H3 for the mechanisms at the left.

The before-mentioned 4stationary contact I is carried by a relatively heavy stationary conductor 21 located near the upper end of the base or housing 23 and held in place by a screw 28.- This conductor 21 directly engages at the rear with a portion of the housing. Thus the contact is rigidly supported so that it cannot yield when `pressure is applied. A wire terminal 29 coopcrates with the conductor 21, being held in place by the screw 28. The before-mentioned stationary conductor 2 is .secured to the base or housing 23 near the lower end thereof by means The housings 23 and |23 are secured to a rear metallic supporting plate 32 by means of the said screws 26, 26 the said plate 32 being in turn secured by means of screws 33, 33 to therear wall of an outer metallic casing 31|. The casing 34 has an openable front cover 35 secured by screws 35, 36, the said cover preferably having a central depressed portion 35El closely adjacent the housing front cover plate. I The cover 35 also has an opening for the operating members or handles i3 and im.

The two circuit breaking mechanisms are connectible in two portions of a circuit', and in order that'they may be conveniently operated in unison as a sub-assembly, the handles i3 and H3 are provided with projections extending transversely in opposite directions so as to be normally in close proximity to each. The two han- 0 dles with their projections are movable in parallel paths and are in fact movable about a common axis. The two projections facilitate simultaneous manual movement of both handles in either direction, and therefore simultaneous operation oi both mechanisms, without interfering with the automatic movement of either mechanism independently of the other from the closedcircuit position to the open-circuit position and without interference with the automatic movement of the corresponding handle away from its closed-circuit position.

The handle projections may vary as to details but I prefer and have shown thin metallic bars 31 and |31 secured respectively to the handles i3 and H3 and extending transversely in over-lapping relationship, one of them being at a slightly greater distance than the other from the common axis. When the handles are in similar positions, as for instance in their closed-circuit positions as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 or in their open-circuit positions as shown in Fig. 3, the projections are parallel and closely adjacent, the projection |31 being at the outer side of the projection 31. The projections are respectively provided with angularly bent attachment portions 31'L and |318, which are riveted to the respective handles.l Inwardly bent teeth at 31h and |311) prevent the projections from pivotal movement on the rivets. In viewv of the fact that the projections 31 and |31 are very close to each other it will be obviousk that theoperator or user will normally engage both of the projections to move both of the handles simultaneously either in the circuit-'opening direction or in the circuit-closing direction, Only by taking particular. care would it be possible for one of the handles to be operated independently of the other and it therefore follows that the user would not move one of the handles separately unless he had a particular reason for doing so. So far as manual operation is concerned, the two mechanisms constitute a unitarily operable sub-assembly which is readily operable to simultaneously open or close both legs or branches of the circuit.

Notwithstanding the adaptation of the subassembly for simultaneous manual operation of both mechanisms there is no interference with the highly desirable automatic movement of each handle away from the closed-circuit position in the event of operation of the mechanism as the result of overload. Fig. 5 shows the handle ||3 moved away from the closed-circuit as the re- -sult of overload and Fig. 6 shows the handle I3 similarly moved. It will be observed that in. each case only one handle has moved, and the very fact that it has moved indicates that 4automatic overload operation has occurred. When the handles move to-the open-circuit positions as here shown, it is merely necessary, in order to restore the circuit, to return to closed-circuit position the single handle which has automatically moved to open-circuit position.

What I claim is:

l. In an automatic circuit breaker assembly, the combination of two similar circuit breaking mechanisms connectible in two different portions of a circuit and each comprising a substantially stationary contact and a movable contact and each comprising a manually operable handle for moving the movable contact to open or close the corresponding portion of the circuit and each comprising means automatically operable upon the attainment of excess current conditions in the corresponding portion of the circuit to cause the movable contact to move to open-circuit position and also to cause the handle to substantially simultaneously move away from its closed-circuit position, the two circuit breaking mechanisms being positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relationship with their handles movable in similar parallel paths, and projections on the respective handles extending transversely in opposite directions so as to be normally in close proximity to each other and thus facilitate simultaneous manual operation of both handles in either direction to open or close both portions ofthe circuit without interfering with` the automatic movement of either handle independently of the other away from its closed-circuit position.

2. In an automatic circuit breaker assembly, the combination of two similar circuit breaking mechanisms connectible in two dierent portions of a circuit and each comprising a substantially stationary contact andga movable contact and each comprising a manually operable handle for moving the movable contact to open or close the corresponding portion of the circuit and each comprising means automatically operable upon the attainment of excess current conditions in the corresponding portion of the circuit to cause the movable contact to move to open-circuit position and also to cause the handle to substantially simultaneously move to its' open-circuit position, the two circuit breaking mechanisms being positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relationship with their handles movable in similar parallel paths, and projections on the respective handles extending transversely in opposite directions so as to be normally in close proximity to each other and thus facilitate simultaneous'manual operation of both handles in either direction to open or close both portions of the circuit without interfering with the automatic movement of either handle independently of the other from its closed-circuit position to its open-circuit position.

3. In an automatic circuit breaker assembly the combination of two similar circuit breaking mechanisms connectible in two different portions of a circuit and each comprising a substantially stationary contact and a movable contact and each comprising a manually operable handle for moving the movable contact to open or close the corresponding portion of the circuit and each cornprising means automatically operable upon the attainment of excess current conditions in the corresponding portion of the circuit to cause the movable contact to move to open-circuit position and also to cause the handle to substantially simultaneously move away from its closed-circuit position, the tWo circuit breaking mechanisms being positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relationship with their handles movable in similar parallel paths, and projections on the respective handles extending transversely in opposite directions and overlapping each other, the said projections being normally in close proximity to each other so as t thus facilitate simultaneous manual operation of both handles in either direction to open or close both portions of the circuit without interfering with the automatic movement of either handle independently of the other away from its closed-circuit position.

aeoasts 4. In an automatic circuit breaker assembly the combination of two similar circuit breaking mechanisms connectible in two diierent portions of a circuit and each comprising a substantially stationary contact and a `movable contact and each comprising a manually operable pivotally movable handle for moving the movable contact to open or close4 the corresponding portion of the circuit and each comprising means automatically operable upon the attainment of excess current conditions in the, corresponding portion of the circuit to cause the movable contact to move to open-circuit position and also to cause the handle to substantially simultaneously move away from its closed-circuit position, the two circuit breaking mechanisms being positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relationship with their-handles movable in similar parallel paths about a common axis, and relatively thin metallic projections on the respective handles extending transversely in opposite directions and overlapping each other, the said projections being normally in close proximity to each other but at slightly different distances from the common axis so as to facilitate simultaneous manual operation of'both handles in either direction to open or close both portions of the circuit without interfering with the automatic movement of either handle independently of the other away from its closed-circuit position.

JOSEPH SACHS. 

